Archive for May 2012

Okay so 11th season is done. White Guy with Guitar wins for the fifth year. I’m not actually putting the blame on Phillip Phillips. Had Crystal Bowersox won in Season 9, there will not be a strong clamor for a female winner, and WGWG argument is put into rest. LELZ. All in all, this season is pretty uneven. While the potential of the talents involved this year are very very varied, we’re stuck with the same old sucky themes (Year of Birth? Check. Billy Joel? Check. Queen? Check), WTF judges (given the choice, I’d rank Steven as the best among the three. You can actually tell that he’s genuine and not superficial), over the top standing ovations (and by over the top, it’s not the same definition as to what Steven says when he use it). Nevertheless, here are the 20 best performances of the season for me.

20. Jessica Sanchez, “How Will I Know”

This one is a real guilty pleasure for me. I love the way that she didn’t go Whitney all the way with this version, and that it did not sound dated despite the week’s theme as 80s. Also, bonus points for her acting out majority of the lines in the songs such as “I say a prayer”, “I’m too shy”, and “I tried to phone.”

19. Heejun Han, “My Life”

Due to the pressure of being in the competition such as Idol, I tend to favor performances where you can see that the finalists just decide to go with the flow and have fun. This is one of them. I love Heejun’s take of this Billy Idol classic, and how this sends a subtle FU that he doesn’t care what the judges will say. After all, that is “his life.”

18. Phillip Phillips, “U Got it Bad”

Count me in to those who were not that totally amazed with this one. The good news is that Phillip Phillips made this an unpredictable pick for his song choice. And while I appreciate the surprising song choice, it’s difficult to go gaga over it when it lost the storytelling that Usher did in the original. This is really good, but not as good as what others perceive it is.

17. Joshua Ledet, “It’s A Man’s, Man’s, Man’s World”

Another version of a song that is good, but not as good as judges want viewers to perceive. Joshua clearly has the chops to deliver a song and this one suits him because you can clearly see and hear James Brown’s influence in this number. Sadly, this still pales as compared to the versions of Christina Aguilera and The Voice’s Juliett Simms.

16. Jessica Sanchez, “Sweet Dreams”

I like this stripped version of this song especially since Jessica managed to get more dramatic with this performance. This prevented her from being a flat out Beyonce clone, and I think she’s being taken for granted when she delivered something new to this dance hit. But isn’t that the regular pattern in AI already? A guy changes the arrangement, he’s an artist, a girl does it, she’s a trying hard clone.

15. Jessica Sanchez/Joshua Ledet/Phillip Phillips, “Got to Get You Into My Life”

What I particularly like about this number is that despite the announcement of the Top 2, they managed to give a laid back and entertaining performance that highlights the strengths of the Top 3. And yes, for those doubting Phillip’s vocals, he’s not unforgettable here, and he held his own against the two vocal wise.

14. Sklyar Laine, “Wind Beneath My Wings”

I’m not particularly fond of Skylar in general, but she’s really an entertaining performer and brings vigor into all of her performances. Her Wind Beneath My Wings number not only closed the show that week, but it made its way into the best numbers of the season. Well done!

13. Joshua Ledet, “When A Man Loves A Woman”

Joshua’s best individual performance on the show is this number where we got to see him bare the song effectively enough that you wouldn’t mind all the theatrics that he did all season. If I’m gonna give Joshua a standing ovation this season, it will definitely be for this number.

12. Jessica Sanchez, “Everybody Has A Dream”

I call this number as Jessica’s Bennie and the Jets. How she managed to turn a very boring theme week (Billy Joel), and transformed a song that sounded dated as hell into a possible winning performance, this is another of those Jessica’s numbers that merited a standing O from the judges back when it still mattered.

11. Hollie Cavanagh, “Rolling in the Deep”

Yes, I can hear that grunt. Singing Adele is not my cup of tea, and I absolutely abhor everyone who covers her songs. However, this Grammy version that Hollie did as the opening for the Top 7 redux made its way to the best list because I did not see her mimicking Adele; instead, I saw her stamping it with Hollie all over. Win!

10. Jessica Sanchez “The Prayer”

Jessica is really a polished singer above anything else, and performances like this one highlights her advantage into the competition. This is her best performance in the finale show, and I thought that note sealed the deal for her that round. I love to gossip just like J.Lo, but clearly, Jessica rallied her way that round with this number.

09. Phillip Phillips, “Volcano”

Ah, Who would have thought of covering Damien Rice in Idol stage? I bet most people think that his songs weren’t even cleared for the competition. LOL. This performance by Phillip is really one of his bests. I love everything that leads up to this number. The song choice, the treatment, the vocals (yes I said it) were all good, and it highlighted Phillip as a good musician.

08. Hollie Cavanagh, “The Climb”

It’s such a shame that we get to hear Miley Cyrus own this song when all the other versions after this are clearly superior to hers. One of those is Hollie’s performance in the Top 5. I like that she used this as her swan song as well, as that performance of hers made me love Hollie more (Yes, I’m a fan).

07. Elise Testone, “Whole Lotta Love”

Elise is probably known as the oldest contestant this year, or a Mimi look-a-like, but I really think that she’s the most underrated candidate of the season. Elise knows how to deliver, and her vocals are really really interesting. Her take on Led Zepellin’s Whole Lotta Love puts all the other Idol finalists to shame as it packages her not only as a bonafide singer, but as an overall performer.

06. Phillip Phillips, “Beggin'”

See my point regarding Steven in my opening paragraph? This is one of those supporting evidence to that. When he gave this song to Phillip, it was very predictable that it’ll be just like his other performances. However, he owned the song so much that when he performed it in the Top 3, it really gave us a glance as if we are listening on his own tour and concert. No need to beg for more, as this one is an instant win for me.

05. Jessica Sanchez/Joshua Ledet, “I Know You Were Waiting”

Here’s the Idol showdown that everyone was secretly wishing. Mantasia meets Hudson. A redux of Season 3 all over again. This might not be the actual showdown that happened at the end of the season, but at least we got a glimpse of how it could have happened if they were the Final 2. And based on this number, it has the potential to be epic.

04. Jessica Sanchez/Jennifer Holliday, “And I Am Telling You”

The ultimate diva song. Everyone was waiting for Jessica to nail this during Top 4, and she actually did. Now she gets to perform this with seasoned singer a.k.a original Dreamgirl Jennifer Holliday. While there’s a part of me that thinks that it wasn’t Jennifer Holliday who showed up, and it was actually Effie White herself, no one can deny the power of this number as one of the best duets in Idol history. And oh, the birth of a new meme.

03. Phillip Phillips, “Home”

While this might sound as a Mumford & Sons reject, there’s something about the way Phillip sang this song. It’s as if he feels every line that he delivered, and not only does this count as the best Idol coronation song in 11 seasons, it also sealed the deal for Phillip for the title. I think that even non fans warmed up after he performed this yesterday.

02. Colton Dixon, “Piano Man”

Colton Dixon always sounded to me as the one who fits the Idol bill. And while it may sound totally absurd that he got booted off Top 7 (which was pretty understandable when you saw the performances that night), his Piano Man still highlights his effectiveness as a musician. This is an idol highlight that will be used a measure of comparison when future Idols perform this in the succeeding seasons.

01. Jessica Sanchez, “Stuttering”

Probably what I consider as the best performance this season, it really is a damn shame that she was sent home after this number. There are so many things going for her during this performance. It was a very inspired song choice and something that is not predictable, Jessica nailed every note she had in that two minutes, she was looking every inch a celebrity there, and this was clearly the genre and direction that she’s the most comfortable with. It’s sad that she didn’t take more risks after this (which is fully understandable), but clearly takes the cake for the best of the season.

That’s it for me. Do you agree with this list? What will you remove? What was your best choice for the season? And do you agree that Steven is the best judge? Pipe them in!

Star Cinema’s 19th anniversary offering is a team up of the country’s premier bachelor Piolo Pascual with one of her generations’s best actresses Angelica Panganiban. Helmed by director Mae Cruz, Every Breath U Take is a perfect entertaining rom-com that lives up to what its genre promised to achieve.

Leo Dimalanta (Pascual) is your typical handsome guy who does not take love seriously. He does not remember the names of the women he slept with, he does not remember how many times he took the girl out for a date, and he does not call his girls back. On the other hand, Majoy (Panganiban) is a woman who is a believer of signs. She’s waiting for the signs to appear before she believes that this is finally it. After learning a harsh reality that she needs to face, Majoy became more persistent than ever to meet the man of her life. However, chaos ensues in her journey of finding it.

I have to admit that the story is really crispy thin. That’s already a given. We know how these local rom-coms pattern work. We know that how despite everything that will happen in the middle, we’d have that piece of happy ending to satisfy the watchers. However, what makes it refreshing is the journey on its way to the end of the movie. A series of subplots that others might deem as too TV-ish surprisingly worked its way well in resolving the story.

Piolo Pascual wasn’t required to do much except to look handsome for 100 minutes. That’s no easy feat when you don’t look like Piolo. But Piolo Pascual really has this certain movie star charisma that is undeniably present throughout the movie. Girls are really swooning every time he’s on the screen, and the director knows how to use that as a strength in the movie. But I must say that this is really Angelica Panganiban’s movie. If you still have doubts about her acting capabilities, you really have a problem then this will surely answer your questions. Her versatility as an actress to shift from comedy to drama in one scene is pretty much evident the whole film. The rest of the characters were too sitcom-y but I don’t think there’s really a worst offender type of character that prevents you from enjoying this movie.

Overall, what helps this movie is that it sticks well to the simple idea that it wants to present. It gives you equal kilig, equal comedy (at times even simultaneously), and that formula, while safe, tends to live up to its expectations. That’s Every Breath U Take’s primary strength and it surely translated well with viewers.

Last Sunday, the women of Wisteria Lane bid goodbye as we’ve witnessed the series finale of Desperate Housewives. After eight years on the tube, surviving a tornado, a fire incident, a plane crash and a huge amount of killings in such a short lane, the show finally aired its last episode.

Being one of the show’s biggest fans, I’ve managed to stick through the course of the eight seasons whether it’s the good (Seasons 1 and 4), the okay (Seasons 3, 5, and 7), and the really bad (S2, S6). The show has really carved its way to be one of the best pop culture reference during the time it was on the air, and though the enthusiasm died more and more as each season starts, the impact that Susan Mayer, Bree van de Kamp, Lynette Scavo, and Grabrielle Solis brought worldwide will never ever be denied.

In a span of eight years, exactly 180 episodes were shown, and here I think are the sixteen that stood out and showed Desperate Housewives in its top form:

1. PILOT (Season 1, Episode 1)

And this is where it all begins. Just the first shot of Mary Alice killing herself with a gun as nosy neighbor Martha Huber peeks through her window is enough already to declare that this show will be big. Then we meet the actual Housewives: single mother Susan Mayer who sticks peanut butter in her faucet just to get attention of new neighbor plumber Mike Delfino, Bree Van de Kamp, as Martha Huber’s reincarnation who demands that baskets must be returned to her after Mary Alice Young’s funeral, mom of four Lynette Scavo who jumped to the pool just so that she can tame her three kids, and sexpot Gabrielle Solis who has an affair with her gardener prompting her to mow their lawn in a gorgeous gown at midnight. Of course it has to end with a bang as well when the Housewives saw a note that could have prompted Mary Alice’s death: I KNOW WHAT YOU DID. IT MAKES ME SICK. I’M GOING TO TELL.

2. PRETTY LITTLE PICTURE (Season 1, Episode 3)

This is where it gets wild, as it’s probably one of the episodes with the most memorable moments in the show’s history. Who could ever forget Susan being locked out of her house naked? Only Teri Hatcher can get away with that while being funny and likable. How about Gabrielle running three blocks in high heels because a young neighbor caught her affair with John Rowland? Lynette giving the kids hyper sugar snacks to even out Tom who refused to come to the dinner. And lastly, Marcia Cross’s Bree at her Stepford finest saying “Rex cries after he ejaculates” line is enough for it to be a classic already.

3. GUILTY (Season 1, Episode 8)

What I particularly like about this episode is that it showed the Housewives in a more human approach. While all the other episodes might be too soap opera-ish for others, this showed them in clear desperation. Gabrielle admits that she was selfish all this time though that a little bit of guilt strikes her every now and then. Bree goes beyond measures to protect the people she loves, and Susan was stuck in the middle of a broken floor. My favorite though was Lynette’s frustration as a mother and her football field scene that rakes in as one of the most genuine moments ever in this show.

4. BANG (Season 3, Episode 7)

As a starter for the show’s annual tragedy episode, desperate housewife Carolyn Bigsby (Laurie Metcalfe) holds a hostage in the town supermarket in a fear that her husband was cheating on her. What was caught in between all of these were the different people that were inside the grocery having different storylines of their own and yet smoothly binded with the hostage incident. With an Emmy worthy performance by Laurie Metcalfe, this remains, in my opinion, as the ebst Desperate Housewives episode in the history of the series.

5. MY HUSBAND, THE PIG (Season 3, Episode 16)

This episode is memorable for a lot of reasons. For one, it was Rex van de Kamp (Bree’s estranged husband) who narrated the episode. Another is that the ladies took the back seat with this one. What I like about this is that it goes to show the other perspective from the husbands’ and boyfriends’ point of view. That is pretty brave considering the nature of the series as a female-centric one.

6. GETTING MARRIED TODAY (Season 3, Episode 23)

Season 3’s finale was a good balance of setting things up and giving a preview of the upcoming season. From this, we learned a lot about Lynette’s current condition, and Susan finally tying the knot with Mike. However, we were also welcomed with a “pregnant” Bree, Gabrielle’s real love interest after marrying politician Victor, and whether Edie Britt did really commit the suicide or not.

7. THE GAME (Season 4, Episode 3)

It is truly a joy when there are episodes of Desperate Housewives that focus on the strength of the ensemble as a whole instead of watching Separate Housewives four storylines. Susan and Mike hosted a charades party that turned out everything but a party. Conflicts arise one after the other making this a highly enjoyable episode that showed a lot of chemistry not only among the four Housewives but to everyone else in the cast.

8. WELCOME TO KANAGAWA (Season 4, Episode 10)

Not all Desperate Housewives disaster episodes are successful with their attempts to bring interest to their readers. It usually is just a shortcut to kill a boatload of unnecessary minor characters in a snap by the writers. However, this one that involves a tornado hitting Wisteria Lane is golden as it manages to interweave the situation to the internal conflicts that the characters are facing during the situation. Also, it is probably the best art direction that the show has ever featured.

9. FREE (Season 4, Episode 17)

This isn’t a popular choice per se, but I like how they resolved things this season especially the story line regarding the Mayfairs. It also explored the chemistry of both Marcia Cross and Dana Delaney especially since Delaney was the original choice to play the role of Bree. The best thing about this is the flash forward concept when we saw a great surprise to the four Housewives physically and with their roles five years later.

10. MIRROR, MIRROR (Season 5, Episode 5)

This one the start of the “What If” episodes that the used show multiple times in the succeeding seasons, but what I like about it is that aside from giving backstories to the four Housewives (which is necessary given the flash forward), but it is integrated with another ensemble episode: Karen McCluskey’s 70th birthday! If that’s not a worthy cause of a celebration, then I don’t know what is. Also, this is one of the most creative cold opens the show has ever done.

11. THE BEST THING THAT EVER COULD HAVE HAPPENED (Season 5, Episode 13)

The show’s 100th episode took time to commemorate a regular visitor of Wisteria Lane, handyman Eli Scruggs (Beau Bridges). Each of the Housewives traveled back to memory lane and remembered what Eli did to their life. This is, indeed, a very memorable 100th episode for the Housewives, and a start of the trend where they commemorate a certain character by remembering the best thing the dead person did to them.

12. LOOK INTO THEIR EYES AND YOU SEE WHAT THEY KNOW (Season 5, Episode 19)

Just like what I mentioned above, this is another of those “We commemorate (insert dead character) here. While it may sound repetitive and redundant, there’s something special about this episode as the focus is one of the original Housewives in the show. Plus points were also given because the set up is that the five women are traveling which means more group interactions from them, and another point for including the fabulous Mrs. McCluskey in this tribute episode.

13. DOWN THE BLOCK THERE’S A RIOT (Season 7, Episode 10)

The last of those “disaster” episodes that the show produced, what hooked me with this one is how striking and intense the whole episode was. You can clearly identify from the get go that something crucial will happen by the end of the episode and you just get excited and excited as each detail leading to it unravels. Now when the actual “disaster” happened, it was too specific and vivid that you can’t help but still be carried away once the credits rolled.

14. COME ON OVER FOR A DINNER (Season 7, Episode 23)

This one is similar to the “Free” finale in the sense that they resolved the season’s mystery smoothly and focused on setting things up for the next season. However, what makes it different from the other season finale was that the mystery executed by the writers involved all the four Housewives together with Gabrielle’s husband, Carlos. Now that’s one secret that will definitely you go gaga while waiting for the final season of the show.

15, YOU TAKE FOR GRANTED (Season 8, Episode 16)

The thing I like the most about this episode is the treatment that the writers used to bid goodbye to one of the characters. By the episode’s cold open: it was mentioned that one of the characters featured in it will soon say goodbye at the end of the day. And as the episode progresses, we all saw those characters deal with a surprising visit from death with all but one not surviving in the end. This is really a genius episode of Housewives that worked well in my book.

16. FINISHING THE HAT (Season 8, Episode 23)

And of course, we have to have the finale right? This episode is by no means groundbreaking or revolutionary. However, there’s a specific nostalgia factor that will bring you back to the start of the series especially if you managed to watch it through the eight seasons. I love how the finale was juxtaposed with the pilot episode on so many levels which included some good casting and memorable scenes. Plus, that final scene including a stroll down the lane and how Cherry ended it with soemthing intriguing is atisfying enough for hardcore fans of the show.

How about you? What are some of your favorite Desperate Housewives episode? And will you miss the show the way that I do? 🙂

All photos are courtesy of abc.go.com/shows/desperate-housewives/photos

Now that Season 2 is finally over, and that the weeks leading to the finale became one surprise after the other, we go back and reminisce the performances that made indelible mark not only for that specific season, but in the history of the show. As a matter of fact, many performances here are some of the best I’ve witnessed in the history of any reality singing show. Here are twenty of them:

The last battle during the Battle Rounds went out with a bang as two big voiced rocker men belted out Journey’s classic Faithfully. I love how the song sets them up both for a grand spectacle that blends well with Cee-Lo’s theatrics. It’s pretty apparent that Tony Vincent will be the one chosen, but I specifically preferred Justin Hopkins here.

19. Jamie Lono, “Folsom Prison Blues” (Blind Auditions)

The sandwich boy back story was just a cherry on the top of the cake when it comes to Jamie Lono’s audition. It was obvious from the start that it was his voice that will make the coaches press their buttons for him. Sadly, his journey ended too soon, as I think we haven’t seen the last of him yet.

18.Lindsey Pavao, “Skinny Love” (Live Rounds, Week 5)

After two weeks of going current and mainstream, Lindsey Pavao went out with a bang as she goes back to her roots with simply a guitar in her version of Skinny Love. Plus points to anybody who sings Bon Iver and /or Birdy in a singing competition.

Despite not working under the same team, Team Cee-Lo’s Jamar and Juliet blended well with Team Adam’s Katrina and Tony in this The Killers song during the Top 8 week. This is probably one of the best group songs in any singing reality competition.

16. Jordis Unga, “A Little But Stronger ” (Live Rounds, Week 3)

It’s sad to hear that Blake Shelton decided to cut Jordis Unga off her team after her best performance on the show yet. Her A Little But Stronger is the closest she came to her Rockstar INXS days. It was raw, poignant, and emotional and definitely deserving of another week in the comeptition.

15. Jermaine Paul, “I Believe I Can Fly” (Finale)

R. Kelly’s staple song is one of the most cliched records to ever use in any singing competition especially when you are in the finale. However, Jermaine Paul’s version made it grand and gave us goosebumps as if he was really singing the time of his life here.

14. Katrina Parker, “Jar of Hearts” (Live Rounds, Week 4)

Since Adam clearly doesn’t know what to do with her, it took until the Top 8 before she finally got her biggest break in the show. Jar of Hearts is a very difficult song to sing and while Katrina’s version is not perfect, it molds to highlight the best thing about what the show is about. After this performance, America fell in love with Katrina and I really wish she should have gone to the finale.

13. Ashley dela Rosa, “Paris Ooh LaLa” (Last Chance Performance)

Ashley dela Rosa is your typical cannon fodder. Her audition wasn’t shown, yet she made it ti the Battle Rounds. She went in to the Live Shows and she was saved by her coach Christina Aguilera. After her Paris Ooh LaLa performance, it was already clear that Ashley ahs a hidden talent not only in her voice but with her choice of songs as well.

12. Chris Mann/Christina Aguilera, “The Prayer” (Finale)

It’s difficult to outsing Christina Aguilera. That’s probably one of the easiest tips one can give any The Voice aspirant. Somehow, Chris Mann and Christina Aguilera made magic together in this finale duet of The Prayer that I’m willing to forgive the pressure of anybody who’s nervous for a possible nip slip from Xtina.

11. Pip, “House of the Rising Sun” (Blind Auditions)

American Idol’s Haley Reinhart gave one of her best performance last season when she performed this song. However, Pip gave it his own spin this season. Bowtie issues aside, clearly everyone fell in love with this performing including the four coaches who all pressed their buzzers for him.

10. Jamar Rogers, “Seven Nation Army” (Blind Auditions)

It’s sad that Jamar Rogers was never given this rich material by his coach during the Live Shows. His choice of a White Stripes song during his audition certainly got the attention of eventual coach CeeLo Green. One makes you wonder why the other coaches did not turn their chairs around for him when this is clearly one of the best audition pieces this season.

9. Charlotte Sometimes, “Apologize” (Blind Auditions)

Charlotte Sometimes may tend to be polarizing when it comes to her attitude in the show (I, for one, really love her), and while her stint on the show was disrupted very quickly, her Apologize audition piece is one of the few brilliant auditions this season that received a four chair turn from all the coaches.

8. Tony Lucca, “Trouble” (Blind Auditions)

See my comment for Jamar Rogers and replace him with Tony Lucca, and replace CeeLoGreen with Adam Levine. Tony has been a very controversial figure on the show, and it was all for the wrong reasons. Had we seen more of this Tony like his audition segment, or his Devil Town single, then I don’t think the issue of being one dimensional will ever be brought out this season.

7. Jesse Campbell, “A Song for You” (Blind Auditions)

While this is one of the most overrated audition pieces in the show, there’s no denying that this voice is certainly deserving of a mention in the list. Jesse Campbell’s rendition of this Donny Hathaway classic is indeed one of the best renditions that has ever done of this song in any reality competition program.

Certainly, no one can touch Christina Aguilera’s version of the song as its best rendition in recent years, but there’s something raw and emotional about Juliet’s version that makes you feel that she means every word being sung in this number. While Roxanne made her the frontrunner, this one cemented her status in the finale.

5. Blake Shelton, Jermaine Paul, “Soul Man” (Finale)

What’s good about this number is that it highlighted Jermaine Paul’s strength as a vocalist. And his connection with his coach was the highest point of this number. It was fun and entertaining and merits a spot in the list.

The best thing about the finale is that it brings back contestants of the show who didn’t manage to make it until the end. This is one of them. Jermaine Paul bring back Jamar Rogers, Pip, and a very likable James Massone in this Jackson 5 number which is a standout in that very long season finale.

3. Lidnsey Pavao – Say Aah (Blind Auditions)

In what I call as the best audition piece for this season, Lindsey Pavao managed to transform a forgettable Trey Songz track into something that is cool, edgy, and hip. Add the fact that this Katy Perry slash Kristen Stewart crossover has a knack of making the bubblegum pop songs with a more interesting and mysterious approach.

2. Juliet Simms, “Roxanne” (Live Rounds, Week 2)

There is something about this legendary The Police track song that makes things better than what they’re supposed to be. The last time we’ve heard is in that twisted Community episode. The next time we’ve heard it is when Juliet Simms sang the hell out of the song during her first Live Show performance, and the rest, as they say, is history.

People always hear the saying “bringing down the house”, and this is a clear example of that. Both Jessie Campbell and Anthony Evans sang it as if there’s no tomorrow, and even original singer Alicia Keys can’t stop herself from tweeting how great it was. There’s no stopping this performance, and this is certainly deserving of the top spot.

Do you agree with what’s in the list? What are your favorite numbers this season? Chime them in at the Comments section. 🙂

TODAY IS TIT FOR TAT’S FIRST ANNIVERSARY! Woot woot! Who would have thought? LELZ. Yaaaaay! This supposedly product that was born out of boredom has really came a long long way. Thank you to all the readers whow ste their time reading this blog. LOL. 🙂

In line with that, the theme for today’s blog post is related to something that involves a year. There are lots of TV shows that overstayed a lot on the air usually sacrificing the content of the show or finding its magic in the latter part. However, there are also shows which weren’t given the chance to grow and expand, and every TV lover knows that it is brutal that these weren’t given longer chances. Here are seven of them:

1. MY SO CALLED LIFE (1994-1995)

Before Homeland, before Temple Grandin, and even before Romeo + Juliet, the greatness of Claire Danes was at a peak in this short-lived ABC teen drama. Tackling issues that would not have been that vocal in the 90s such as peer pressure, alcoholism, and homophobia, everyone knows that this was ended way too soon.

2. FREAKS AND GEEKS (1999-2000)

James Franco, Seth Rogen, Jason Segel, and Busy Philipps in a Judd Apatow production? This would have been epic years now. but what you’re reading is the cast of the 1999 comedy Freaks and Geeks. There’s probably a prejudice against teen shows as proven by the first two entries on the list, but real talents shine through and through. Of course, we’re still wishing that we’d seen longer of this show.

3. FIREFLY (2002)

Let me start of by saying that Joss Whedon is a genius. In the words of a crazy Penelope Cruz, he is “ge-nee-yus”. And that was already proven before his current Avengers hit. Think more of the contemporary Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Firefly might not have lasted more than one season, but the cult following the show elicited should have been enough sign for it to get a go signal.

4. THE COMEBACK (2005)

Call it a Friends curse if you want, but Lisa Kudrow’s short lived HBO mockumentary about a has been actress who still think she’s big has been is a relatable topic in Hollywood. And Kudrow’s impeccable Emmy nominated performance is just the icing on top of this cake. Sadly, we weren’t able to see what happens next with Valerie Cherish.

5. TELL ME YOU LOVE ME (2007)

HBO’s drama might make others feel too uncomfortable because of the racy and daring content it had, but one cannot refute the fact with how raw, gritty, and honest this show is. Starring Jane Alexander, Ian Somerhalder, and Adam Scott, this should have been given a longer chance to be on screen.

6. ESTATE OF PANIC (2008)

Call me crazy, but this is ultimate guilty pleasure. Moving and deceitful rooms in one big mansion which contains all the unexpected? I’m in. Add the creepiness of host Steve Valentine in his greatest Marilyn Manson impersonation, this is over the top fun show. However, it is also apparent that this is too costly and something that will lose steam in the long run. While the cancellation was understandable, it’s hard to admit that seeing another few episodes is the best they could have done.

7. LUCK (2012)

Now this one is pretty tricky. There is really a season 2 which already started shooting, but the pre-production problems that occurred halted the series altogether. It would have been a good series for HBO given the status of the people involved here, but I guess some things aren’t meant to stay for long.

I know it’s too early yet, but this is what every Oscar prognosticator does at the start of the year to measure which performances will maintain buzz and momentum til we lead that podium next year yet again. This one is just purely based on buzz, some Oscar history, and mostly gut choices. I’m calling this the pre-Cannes edition. Here are who I think will be nominated for next year: